{"id":2192,"date":"2024-02-23T16:03:30","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T22:03:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/25\/trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-christian-nationalism-in-second-administration\/"},"modified":"2024-02-25T16:06:31","modified_gmt":"2024-02-25T22:06:31","slug":"trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-christian-nationalism-in-second-administration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/23\/trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-christian-nationalism-in-second-administration\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump allies prepare to infuse \u2018Christian nationalism\u2019 in second administration"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"cs-blog-content\">\n<p>America was NOT founded as a &#8220;Christian nation&#8221; in the sense that we were founded to be advance Christianity as the state or preferred religion. \u00a0Certainly, however, Christians were involved in founding America and many of the values espoused in our founding documents like life, liberty, equality, justice, etc. are indeed aligned with values derived from Judeo Christian principles.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few easy ways to know you&#8217;ve crossed the line into some of the tenets of &#8220;Christian nationalism&#8221;:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You believe that the laws of America and our government should be used to give preferential treatment to Christianity and Christians.<\/li>\n<li>You believe that America was founded historically for the purpose of advocating Christianity above other religions.<\/li>\n<li>You believe that those who come to America should become Christians and reject their religious and cultural heritage completely<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We prefer the term &#8220;Christian patriotism&#8221; in contrast to &#8220;Christian nationalism.&#8221;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Patriots emphasize love of their country. \u00a0Nationalist emphasize belittling those outside our country.<\/li>\n<li>Patriots are welcoming to the (law-abiding) aliens and encourage them to add the best they have to offer to our best. \u00a0Nationalists are not welcoming to the aliens and discourage them from &#8220;watering-down&#8221; our existing culture.<\/li>\n<li>Patriots seek more to include and value diversity. \u00a0Nationalists seek to exclude and prefer hegemony.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2194\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/23\/trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-christian-nationalism-in-second-administration\/trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-christian-nationalism-in-second-administration-jpg\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-%E2%80%98Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg?fit=%2C\" data-orig-size=\"\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-\u2018Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-%E2%80%98Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2194\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-%E2%80%98Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg?resize=1%2C1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><span style=\"color: initial; font-size: revert;\">2024 elections Trump allies prepare to infuse \u2018Christian nationalism\u2019 in second administration<\/span><span style=\"color: initial; font-size: revert;\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2194\" data-permalink=\"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/23\/trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-christian-nationalism-in-second-administration\/trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-christian-nationalism-in-second-administration-jpg\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-%E2%80%98Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg?fit=%2C\" data-orig-size=\"\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-\u2018Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-%E2%80%98Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2194\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-%E2%80%98Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg?resize=1%2C1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, president of The Center for Renewing America, part of a conservative consortium preparing for Trump\u2019s return to power.<\/p>\n<p>An influential think tank close to Donald Trump is developing plans to infuse Christian nationalist ideas in his administration should the former president return to power, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, who served as Trump\u2019s director of the Office of Management and Budget during his first term and has remained close to him. Vought, who is frequently cited as a potential chief of staff in a second Trump White House, is president of The Center for Renewing America think tank, a leading group in a conservative consortium preparing for a second Trump term. Christian nationalists in America believe that the country was founded as a Christian nation and that Christian values should be prioritized throughout government and public life. As the country has become less religious and more diverse, Vought has embraced the idea that Christians are under assault and has spoken of policies he might pursue in response. One document drafted by CRA staff and fellows includes a list of top priorities for CRA in a second Trump term. \u201cChristian nationalism\u201d is one of the bullet points. Others include invoking the Insurrection Act on Day One to quash protests and refusing to spend authorized congressional funds on unwanted projects, a practice banned by lawmakers in the Nixon era. CRA\u2019s work fits into a broader effort by conservative, MAGA-leaning organizations to influence a future Trump White House. Two people familiar with the plans, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal matters, said that Vought hopes his proximity and regular contact with the former president \u2014 he and Trump speak at least once a month, according to one of the people \u2014 will elevate Christian nationalism as a focal point in a second Trump term.<\/p>\n<p>The documents obtained by POLITICO do not outline specific Christian nationalist policies. But Vought has promoted a restrictionist immigration agenda, saying a person\u2019s background doesn\u2019t define who can enter the U.S., but rather, citing Biblical teachings, whether that person \u201caccept[ed] Israel\u2019s God, laws and understanding of history.\u201d Vought has a close affiliation with Christian nationalist William Wolfe, a former Trump administration official who has advocated for overturning same-sex marriage, ending abortion and reducing access to contraceptives. Vought, who declined to comment, is advising Project 2025, a governing agenda that would usher in one of the most conservative executive branches in modern American history. The effort is made up of a constellation of conservative groups run by Trump allies who\u2019ve constructed a detailed plan to dismantle or overhaul key agencies in a second term. Among other principles, the project\u2019s \u201cMandate for Leadership\u201d states that \u201cfreedom is defined by God, not man.\u201d The Trump campaign has said repeatedly that it alone is responsible for assembling a policy platform and staffing for a future administration. In response to various news articles about how conservatives are preparing for a second Trump term, campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a memo late last year: \u201cDespite our being crystal clear, some \u2018allies\u2019 haven\u2019t gotten the hint, and the media, in their anti-Trump zeal, has been all-too-willing to continue using anonymous sourcing and speculation about a second Trump administration in an effort to prevent a second Trump administration.\u201d Trump\u2019s campaign declined to comment for this story.<\/p>\n<p>Rachel Cauley, CRA\u2019s communication director, said \u201cthe so-called reporting from POLITICO in this story is false and we told them so on multiple occasions.\u201d Trump is not a devout man of faith. But Christian Nationalists have been among his most reliable campaign activists and voting blocs. Trump formed a political alliance with evangelicals during his first run for office, delivered them a six to three conservative majority on the Supreme Court and is now espousing the Christian right\u2019s long-running argument that Christians are so severely persecuted that it necessitates a federal response. In a December campaign speech in Iowa, he said \u201cMarxists and fascists\u201d are \u201cgoing hard\u201d against Catholics. \u201cUpon taking office, I will create a new federal task force on fighting anti-Christian bias to be led by a fully reformed Department of Justice that\u2019s fair and equitable\u201d and that will \u201cinvestigate all forms of illegal discrimination.\u201d On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, Trump promoted on his social media a video that suggests his campaign is, actually, a divine mission from God. In 2019, Trump\u2019s then-secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, set up a federal commission to define human rights based on the precepts Vought describes, specifically \u201cnatural law and natural rights.\u201d Natural law is the belief that there are universal rules derived from God that can\u2019t be superseded by government or judges. While it is a core pillar of Catholicism, in recent decades it\u2019s been used to oppose abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and contraception. Vought sees his and his organization\u2019s mission as \u201crenew[ing] a consensus of America as a nation under God,\u201d per a statement on CRA\u2019s website, and reshaping the government\u2019s contract with the governed.<\/p>\n<p>Freedom of religion would remain a protected right, but Vought and his ideological brethren would not shy from using their administration positions to promote Christian doctrine and imbue public policy with it, according to both people familiar with the matter, granted anonymity to avoid retaliation. He makes clear reference to human rights being defined by God, not man. America should be recognized as a Christian nation \u201cwhere our rights and duties are understood to come from God,\u201d Vought wrote two years ago in Newsweek. \u201cIt is a commitment to an institutional separation between church and state, but not the separation of Christianity from its influence on government and society,\u201d he continued, noting such a framework \u201ccan lead to beneficial outcomes for our own communities, as well as individuals of all faiths.\u201d He went on to accuse detractors of Christian nationalism of invoking the term to try to scare people. &#8220;\u2019Christian nationalism\u2019 is actually a rather benign and useful description for those who believe in both preserving our country\u2019s Judeo-Christian heritage and making public policy decisions that are best for this country,\u201d he wrote. \u201cThe term need not be subjected to such intense scorn due to misunderstanding or slander.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To ingratiate himself in conservative circles \u2014 and Christian conservative ones \u2014 Trump has often turned to operatives from them. Among those who helped was Vought. As OMB director in the Trump administration, Vought became a disciple of the \u201cAmerica First\u201d movement. He has been a steadfast proponent of keeping the U.S. out of foreign wars and slashing federal spending. CRA is already wielding influence on Trump\u2019s positions. His thinking on withdrawing the U.S. from NATO and using military force against Mexican drug cartels is partly inspired by separate CRA papers, according to reports by Rolling Stone. \u201cRussell Vought did a fabulous job in my administration, and I have no doubt he will do a great job in continuing our quest to make America great again,\u201d reads a Trump quote prominently placed on CRA\u2019s website. Trump will have a major platform to convey his vision for Christian policy in a second term when, on Feb. 22, he addresses a National Religious Broadcasters forum in Nashville. The group is the world\u2019s largest association of Christian communicators.<\/p>\n<p>Trump is also talking about bringing his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, a vocal proponent of Christian nationalism, back into office. Flynn is currently focused on recruiting what he calls an \u201cArmy of God\u201d \u2014 as he barnstorms the country promoting his vision of putting Christianity at the center of American life. Vought\u2019s beliefs over time have been informed by his relationship with Wolfe. The two spent time together at Heritage Action, a conservative policy advocacy group. And Vought has praised their yearslong partnership. \u201cI\u2019m proud to work with @William_E_Wolfe on scoping out a sound Christian Nationalism,\u201d he posted on X, then Twitter, in January 2023. Vought often echoes Wolfe\u2019s principles, including on immigration. \u201cJesus Christ wasn\u2019t an open-borders socialist,\u201d Wolfe wrote for The Daily Caller in April while a visiting CRA fellow. \u201cThe Bible unapologetically upholds the concept of sovereign nations.\u201d While speaking in September at American Moment\u2019s \u201c Theology of American Statecraft: The Christian Case for Immigration Restriction\u201d on Capitol Hill in September, Vought defended the widely-criticized practice of family separation at the border during the Trump years, telling the audience \u201cthe decision to defend the rule of law necessitates the separation of families.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Heritage Foundation\u2019s Project 2025 offers more visibility into what policy agenda a future Trump administration might pursue. It says policies that support LGBTQ+ rights, subsidize \u201csingle-motherhood\u201d and penalize marriage should be repealed because subjective notions of \u201cgender identity\u201d threaten \u201cAmericans\u2019 fundamental liberties.\u201d It also proposes increasing surveillance of abortion and maternal mortality reporting in the states, compelling the Food and Drug Administration to revoke approval of \u201cchemical abortion drugs\u201d and protecting \u201creligious and moral\u201d objections for employers who decline contraception coverage for employees. One of the groups that partners with Project 2025, Turning Point USA, is among conservative influencers that health professionals have criticized for targeting young women with misleading health concerns about hormonal birth control. Another priority is defunding Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive health care to low-income women. Wolfe, who has deleted several posts on X that detail his views, has a more extreme outlook of what a government led by Christian nationalists should propose.<\/p>\n<p>In a December post, he called for ending sex education in schools, surrogacy and no-fault divorce throughout the country, as well as forcing men \u201cto provide for their children as soon as it\u2019s determined the child is theirs\u201d \u2014 a clear incursion by the government into Americans\u2019 private lives. \u201cChristians should reject a Christ-less \u2018conservatism,\u2019\u201d he expanded in another X missive, \u201cand demand the political movement we are most closely associated with make a return to Christ-centered foundations. Because it\u2019s either Christ or chaos, even on the \u2018Right.\u2019\u201d Wolfe declined to comment. The effort to imbue laws with biblical principles is already underway in some states. In Texas, Christian conservative supporters have pressured the legislature to require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom; targeted prohibitions on churches against direct policy advocacy and organized campaigns around \u201cculture war\u201d issues, including curbing LGBTQ+ rights, banning books and opposing gun safety laws. \u201cThere\u2019s been a tectonic shift in how the leadership of the religious right operates,\u201d said Matthew Taylor, a scholar at the Institute for Christian Jewish Studies, who grew up evangelical. \u201cThese folks aren\u2019t as interested in democracy or working through democratic systems as in the old religious right because their theology is one of Christian warfare.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This content was originally published <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2024\/02\/20\/donald-trump-allies-christian-nationalism-00142086\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>America was NOT founded as a &#8220;Christian nation&#8221; in the sense that we were founded to be advance Christianity as the state or preferred religion. \u00a0Certainly, however, Christians were involved in founding America and many of the values espoused in our founding documents like life, liberty, equality, justice, etc. are indeed aligned with values derived [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2194,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8kHU7-zm","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Trump-allies-prepare-to-infuse-%E2%80%98Christian-nationalism-in-second-administration.jpg?fit=%2C","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2192"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2196,"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2192\/revisions\/2196"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}